Bow sight

ABSTRACT

A bow sight having improved locking means for securing a vertically shiftable slide block in selectable positions along a bar, the bar being provided with at least two surfaces on which range indicia and data may be recorded.

nited States Patent [191 Saunders et al. Apr. 2, 1974 [54] BOW SIGHT 7 2,974,416 3/1961 Zurcher .7 33/27 C [75] Inventors: Charles A. Saunders; Thomas Allen Saunders; Eugene F. Saunders, all of Co]umbus Ncbr Zrimary Egaminer-Lsouis R.LPrSincch ssistant xaminerteven tep an [73] Assllgnec: z g Archery Columbus Attorney, Agent, or Firml(egan, Kegan & Berkman {22] Filed: May 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No; 250,969

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 33/265, 33/158 I 51 im. Cl. F4lg 1/46, F4lb 5/00 A bow 8 haw-mg Improved l0kmg means for Secur- 5 i l f Search 33/2 5 27 C, 147 T, 147 J irlg a vertically shiftable Slidfif blOCk ill seleclable posi- 3 3 158, 159 173 tlons along a bar, the bar being provided with at least two surfaces on which range indicia and data may be [56] References Cited recorded- UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,590,489 7/1971 Saunders 33/265 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures I Hi I i 1 /26 i L /0 i /4 70 11 I i Q) ill! 72 i /a i U n I l i PAIENIEMR 2 I974 SHEET 2 [IF 2 BOW SIGHT This invention relates to a sighting device for an archery bow. More particularly, the invention is'directed to a bow sight having improved securement means for locking a sight carrying bead at selectable vertical positions on a support bar. In a preferred embodiment the invention includes improved means for attaching the bow sight to the bow and for detaching the bead carrying component from the sight assembly itself.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved technique for detachably securing the bow sight to a bow and for simply adjusting and securing the vertical position of the sighting element on a support bar.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in conjunction with a bow sight for a bow, improved range indicia carrying means facilitating the recording of range data on at least two separate surfaces each presented for ready viewing.

A related object of the invention is to provide, in a bow sight assembly including a sight bead or equivalent sighting element, improved means for shifting the sight bead along a vertical bar secured to the bow.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide in a bow sight including a vertical rod on which a sight assembly rides, improved means for detaching the sight carrying rod from the bow-mounting bands or other expedients utilized to secure the rod on the bow itself.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bow sight assembly which is extremely light in weight and which includes a minimum of metallic components.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bow sight in which settings for both elevation and lateral compensation are quickly and conveniently achieved, and in which the selected settings are secure and reliably stable.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the bow sight may be conveniently and readily attached to any standard bow, and may be easily removed, without the use of any tool.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bow sight which can be readily and conveniently adjusted and in which the adjustments are maintained in a manner to preclude accidental shifting or movement of the sight elements after they have been set in the required positions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bow sight in which the sight bead or equivalent element is simply and readily shiftable vertically but may be easily locked in any selectable position along a support bar.

A general object of the invention is to provide a sighting mechanism and range finder which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable in construction, and reliable in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sighting device for archery, which device can be used conveniently by either left hand or right hand archers.

Other and further objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification considered in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bow with the bow sight of the invention attached, and indicating the manner of use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the bow sight in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the bow sight showing the deformable bands by means of which the sight assembly is secured to the upper limb of the bow;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the bow sight;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the lines 7-7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is an exploded fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, and showing the manner of locking engagement of the elongated bar of the bow sight in an end cap of the assembly.

The aims and objects of the invention are accomplished by providing in a bow sight assembly a unique combination including an elongated plastic slide bar which is grooved along its length to receive a deforming wedge, the wedge serving, in response to pressure applied through a screw, to expand the bar to effect a locking securement of a sight-carrying slide block on a slide bar. The slide block carries a bead sight which is adjustable laterally on the bow sight assembly.

Referring now to the drawing, for purposes of disclosure, the bow sight is shown embodied as an assembly 10 including a slide bar or sight track 14 which, in the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated, is generally triangular in section, providing two planar surfaces 16 and 16a for carrying range indicia. A slide block 18 mounted on the bar 14 supports, in turn, a sighting bead 20 carried at the end of a horizontally extending threaded screw 24 passing through a cooperating threaded bore 26 formed in the slide block 18.

The slide block 18 is also provided with a through axial opening 32 having a cross-sectional configuration conforming to the cross-section of the slide bar 14 so that the walls 36, and 40 which bound the opening 32 in the slide block 18 lie contiguously along abutting surfaces of the slide bar 14, all as clearly illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7. Elevational adjustment of the slide block 18 along the slide bar 14 effects the required range setting of the sighting bead 20 carried thereby. Turning of the threaded screw 24 provides lateral adjustment of the bead 20.

The manner in which the slide block 18 is locked in any selectable position on the slide bar 14 will be understood upon consideration of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7. As shown, the slide bar 14 which is preferably of a substantially rigid plastic material, is formed with a groove or slot 52 which defines an elonaged channel extending substantially the full length of the slide bar 14. The channel 52 tapers or flares radially outwardly at its open end to an enlarged portion 56 generally V-shaped in cross-section; the entire cut-out portion of the slide bar 14 is generally funnel-shaped in form. Projecting into the V-slot 56 along the length thereof is an elongated triangular wedge or head 60 two faces of which abut and bear upon opposed side walls 64 and 66 bounding the slot 56. A locking screw 70 provided with a knurled head 72 extends through a threaded opening 76 in the front wall 78 of the slide block 18 so that upon tightening the screw 70, the advancing end 82 of the screw 70 abuts and bears upon the facing surface of the wedge-shaped bead 60 to urge the bead against the walls 64 and 66 of the slide bar 14 to distend or spread the walls laterally outwardly against the slide block 18, thereby to effect securement of the slide block 18 on the slide bar 14 to any selectable position and to obviate inadvertent shifting and displacement of the slide block therealong. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the slide bar 14 is of a plastic composition such as Lexan, a polycarbonate. The bead or wedge 60 is preferably fabricated of aluminum, magnesium or of a light-weight metallic alloy. The slide block 18 is of a plastic composition such as polyvinyl chloride or a polyethylene or polypropylene.

At each of its opposed ends 90 and 92 the slide bar 14 and the abutting wedge 60 extend into cooperating plastic caps 96 and 98 formed with shaped sockets 102 and 104 extending exially into the caps and contoured to establish a friction fit. A mechanical interlock precludes inadvertent displacement of the end 90 and 92 of the slide bar from the corresponding caps 96 and 98. The slide bar 14 carries at its end an integrally formed flange 106 projecting radially of the principal bar 14 and seating in a cooperating groove 110 formed in the end caps 96 and 98 and communicating with the sockets 102, all as illustrated in FIG. and indicated schematically in the exploded view of FIG. 8.

The method by which the sight assembly is secured to the bow is shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. The plastic caps 96 and 98 which embrace the ends of the slide bar 14 are formed with open-ended slots 114 and 116, each slot receiving and frictionally retaining end portions 120 and 122 of cooperating clips 126 and 128. The other ends 132 and 134 of respective clips I26 and 128 are secured to mounting bands 140 and 142 which consist of readily deformable webs of bronze, copper or aluminum, although plastic may be used. The deformable bands 140 and 142 are coated with a film of pressure sensitive adhesive 146 by means ofwhich the web, shaped to conform to and wrapped at least partially around to lie contiguously on the handle portion 150 of the bow, is secured in place, as shown in FIG. 1. A spring-like retention slip 154 fastened to the mounting band 140 and extending to overlie the end of the lower plastic cap 98 completes the bow sight securement assembly.

It will be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 2, that the sight-carrying bar 14 may be lifted bodily from engagement with the supporting clips 126 and 128 to effect a simple separation of the major and mechanically sensitive portion of the sighting device from the bow and yet to permit ready replacement of the sight in position ensuring rapid reestablishment in place. It is also evident that the bow sight of the invention is adapted for either right or left handed archers.

While the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred structural embodiment and with reference to preferred fabrication materials and arrangements, it is apparent that many changes may be made in the size, shape, structural details or arrangements of the various component elements of the invention without departing from the scope and the spirit thereof. It is, therefore, intended to include within the 6 appended claims all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sighting device for attachment to a bow for lateral and vertical alignment of a bow shot with a target, and including an elongated bar adapted to support a slide block for longitudinal shifting therealong,

means for attachment of said bar to the bow to extend generally along an upper limb thereof,

a slide block shiftable longitudinally on said bar along the length thereof,

a sight forming element disposed in the line of vision of an archer and secured to said slide block, means to shift said sight forming element transversely of said bar, and

means for releasably securing said slide block in any selectable vertical position on said elongated bar,

the improvement wherein, said bar is formed with an outwardly opening generally V-shaped slot, said slot defining a channel extending inwardly of and longitudinally along the length of said bar to bifurcate said bar,

said'bar being deformable and physically distortable laterally along its length upon application of distorting force against opposed side walls of said slot to expand said bar laterally of a longitudinal axis of said bar,

a wedging bead adapted to project into said slot and to abut and bear upon opposed side walls bounding said slot at generally facing surfaces thereof,

said slide block being formed with a passage having a cross-sectional configuration corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional configuration of said bar whereby said bar is slidably received through said slide block in guiding contact therewith,

wedging-bead-engaging means carried by said slide block and means selectably adjustable to urge said wedging-bead-engaging means to apply pressure against said wedging bead physically to distort said bar and to urge outer wall surfaces thereof into stressed engagement with corresponding opposed wall means bounding said walls of said passage in said slide block, thereby to secure said slide block at any selectable position on said bar and to obviate inadvertent shifting and displacement of said slide block therealong;

and wherein said means for attachment of said bar to said how includes upper and lower mounting blocks capping opposed ends of said bar received in sockets formed in said mounting blocks, and detent means locking said ends of said bar in said blocks,

said detent means consisting essentially of the combination with a flange integrally formed with said rod adjacnet opposed ends thereof and projecting radially from said rod in a horizontal plane extending normal to a principal wall of said rod,

of a horizontal groove formed in said blocks and sized and adapted to receive and secure said flange upon insertion of ends of said rod into respective said sockets,

thereby to preclude inadvertent vertical withdrawal and dislodgment of said rod from said blocks.

2. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising deformable band means including adhesive means coating a principal surface of said band means for non-marring securement of said band means to said limb of said bow,

clip means removeably interconnecting said mounting blocks with said band means to facilitate quick detachment of said bar, said slide block and said sight-forming element carried thereby, from the bow.

3. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedging-bead-engaging means constitutes a screw extending into a screw threaded bore in said slide block in a wall of said block overlying said wedging bead,

a forwardly projecting end of said screw being adapted to engage and abut said wedging bead and to urge said wedging bead to penetrate said slot as said screw is threading into said slide block.

4. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedging bead is an elongated wedge generally triangular in cross-section and disposed with apexforming walls of said wedge projecting into said slot of walls forming said apex diverging forwardly of said apex and having outer surfaces each adapted to carry range calibration indicia on respective said surfaces facing and presented to an archer shooting said bow. 

1. In a sighting device for attachment to a bow for lateral and vertical alignment of a bow shot with a target, and including an elongated bar adapted to support a slide block for longitudinal shifting therealong, means for attachment of said bar to the bow to extend generally along an upper limb thereof, a slide block shiftable longitudinally on said bar along the length thereof, a sight forming element disposed in the line of vision of an archer and secured to said slide block, means to shift said sight forming element transversely of said bar, and means for releasably securing said slide block in any selectable vertical position on said elongated bar, the improvement wherein, said bar is formed with an outwardly opening generally V-shaped slot, said slot defining a channel extending inwardly of and longitudinally along the length of said bar to bifurcate said bar, said bar being deformable and physically distortable laterally along its length upon application of distorting force against opposed side walls of said slot to expand said bar laterally of a longitudinal axis of said bar, a wedging bead adapted to project into said slot and to abut and bear upon opposed side walls bounding said slot at generally facing surfaces thereof, said slide block being formed with a passage having a crosssectional configuration corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional configuration of said bar whereby said bar is slidably received through said slide block in guiding contact therewith, wedging-bead-engaging means carried by said slide block and means selectably adjustable to urge said wedging-bead-engaging means to apply pressure against said wedging bead physically to distort said bar and to urge outer wall surfaces thereof into stressed engagement with corresponding opposed wall means bounding said walls of said passage in said slide block, thereby to secure said slide block at any selectable position on said bar and to obviate inadvertent shifting and displacement of said slide block therealong; and wherein said means for attachment of said bar to said bow includes upper and lower mounting blocks capping opposed ends of said bar received in sockets formed in said mounting blocks, and detent means locking said ends of said bar in said blocks, said detent means consisting essentially of the combination with a flange integrally formed with said rod adjacnet opposed ends thereof and projecting radially from said rod in a horizontal plane extending normal to a principal wall of said rod, of a horizontal groove formed in said blocks and sized and adapted to receive and secure said flange upon insertion of ends of said rod into respective said sockets, thereby to preclude inadvertent vertical withdrawal and dislodgment of said rod from said blocks.
 2. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising deformable band means including adhesive means coating a principal surface of said band means for non-marring securement of said band means to said limb of said bow, clip means removeably interconnecting said mounting blocks with said band means to facilitate quick detachment of said bar, said slide block and said sight-forming element carried thereby, from the bow.
 3. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedging-bead-engaging means constitutes a screw extending into a screw threaded bore in said slide block in a wall of said block overlying said wedging bead, a forwardly projecting end of said screw being adapted to engage and abut said wedging bead and to urge said wedging bead to penetrate said slot as said screw is threading into said slide block.
 4. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedging bead is an elongated wedge generally triangular in cross-section and disposed with apex-forming walls of said wedge projecting into said slot of said bar along the length thereof, a flat wall face of said wedge bridging diverging walls of said wedge facing rearwardly of said bar and presented toward said bead-engaging means for stressed contact therewith.
 5. The improvement as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bar is generally triangular in horizontal cross-section, said bar being oriented to present an elongated wall-formed apex thereof to project rearwardly along the length of said sighting device, said V-shaped slot extending inwardly of said apex along the length thereof, walls forming said apex diverging forwardly of said apex and having outer surfaces each adapted to carry range calibration indicia on respective said surfaces facing and presented to an archer shooting said bow. 